--- a/sfx2/source/appl/module.cxx	
+++ a/sfx2/source/appl/module.cxx	
@@ -441,20 +441,9 @@ 
     // find the module
     SfxModule const * pModule = GetActiveModule( pViewFrame );
     ENSURE_OR_RETURN( pModule != NULL, "SfxModule::GetModuleFieldUnit: no SfxModule for the given frame!", FUNIT_100TH_MM );
-
-    SfxPoolItem const * pItem = pModule->GetItem( SID_ATTR_METRIC );
-    if ( pItem == NULL )
-    {
-#if OSL_DEBUG_LEVEL > 0
-        ::rtl::OStringBuffer message;
-        message.append( "SfxModule::GetFieldUnit: no metric item in the module implemented by '" );
-        message.append( typeid( *pModule ).name() );
-        message.append( "'!" );
-        OSL_ENSURE( false, message.makeStringAndClear().getStr() );
-#endif
-        return FUNIT_100TH_MM;
-    }
-    return (FieldUnit)( (SfxUInt16Item*)pItem )->GetValue();
+	if ( pModule )
+		return pModule->GetFieldUnit();
+	return FUNIT_INCH;
 }
 
 FieldUnit SfxModule::GetCurrentFieldUnit()
@@ -464,7 +453,6 @@ 
 	if ( pModule )
 	{
 		const SfxPoolItem* pItem = pModule->GetItem( SID_ATTR_METRIC );
-		DBG_ASSERT( pItem, "GetFieldUnit(): no item" );
 		if ( pItem )
 			eUnit = (FieldUnit)( (SfxUInt16Item*)pItem )->GetValue();
 	}
@@ -477,7 +465,6 @@ 
 {
 	FieldUnit eUnit = FUNIT_INCH;
 	const SfxPoolItem* pItem = GetItem( SID_ATTR_METRIC );
-	DBG_ASSERT( pItem, "GetFieldUnit(): no item" );
 	if ( pItem )
 		eUnit = (FieldUnit)( (SfxUInt16Item*)pItem )->GetValue();
 	return eUnit;
--- a/svx/source/dialog/dlgutil.cxx	
+++ a/svx/source/dialog/dlgutil.cxx	
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ 
 		eUnit = (FieldUnit)( (const SfxUInt16Item*)pItem )->GetValue();
 	else 
 	{
-		DBG_ERROR("Using fallback for field unit - field unit should be provided in ItemSet");
 		return SfxModule::GetCurrentFieldUnit();
 	}